Ukulele Luthiers?

acutejam

Songbook came last week, NOT the way to buy an instrument, left the wife in the car and ran into a great store in Lafayette, CA, with a ton of Ukuleles (40-50 at least). I said, 'I've got $300 in my pocket, what can I get? Ah! Nice! Ok, let's cut that in half, what have you got?" And I walked out with a Tenor:

http://www.kalaukulele.com/detail.asp?product_id=KA-TEM

Admittedly, it was the looks that hooked me. I Play Guitar, but didn't know any Uke chords ... I played it a bit, but basically just walked out with it for $120. Once home, I found a glob or two of finish, the soundhole wasn't finished, just raw wood halfway around -- it's laminate and made in China, but the action was good, neck felt comfy. If it ends up hanging on my wall as art, I'm happy... but I should have inspected that closer. Well, got a uke!

And I'm hooked, and my daughter too. Easy to play and sounds fine. I knew this was just the entry model to get comfy. It's Tuesday, and we've already filled a binder with Ukulele Chord Music and a few Tabs. So we're hooked, which got me thinking about the NEXT model.

The daughter needs a Soprano or Concert, she's nervous as she grows that a Soprano will be too small (she's 13). But I'm kinda enamored with the tiny size. And as I said, I play guitar ... what's more important, I actually have a guitar fund and I was saving up for something special! Something built for me!

And then I started seeing all the Ukulele Luthiers! OK, THAT is very do-able! Some amazing instruments for $600 - $1400! (High-end touches $3-4k, right where most guitars START.) Now I'm not sure I'd put something like that in my daughter's hands, but I'm definitely hooked and starting to research 'em all, read reviews and get some feedback. Martin, Collins, Breedlove, Santa Cruz, Gibson all make ukes, but the independent Luthiers are really quite a steal in comparison!

Right off the bat, ya'll will dig this: http://www.devineguitars.com/index.html (Eric DeVine)

Amazing woodwork in the northeast and all along the pacific coast, and of course quite a few good ones in hawaii... I'm leaning toward a couple dudes right here in Berkeley. All these guys' websites say orders are backing up as interest is exploding (not just eddie, lots of artists grabbing the uke of late, it was Taylor Swift that hooked my daughter...)

Anybody got a custom-made uke from a Luthier, hard to find many reviews in this small little pond of artistic woodworking wonder!

STAYSEA

Hint : Wives do not mind them, compared to most gear.
They are easy to move around and put away.
Great for traveling...
When a keyboard/synth shows up :(
I know we spent money :evil: and I should find a dust cover ....
The ukes are more fun

This is just a non- musicans perspective at gear layin around the house.

Drum kits can hurt!

rockpants

Don't know if you've found anything since making this thread, but here's one I'm particularly fond of:

http://www.myamoeukuleles.com/

If you use their awesome Uketracker, you can see every uke they've ever made. Mine is #534. The #535 is pretty nice. Go see if you can find out why.

acutejam

Ah, too funny rPants! Was just loggin in to posts Eddie's uke from that luthier -- they already have the Bridge Sleepless Nights with Beck YouTube up on their page.

I dunno why, their distinctive headstock pattern turns me off -- but I instantly knew whose it was when Eddie whipped it out at Bridge, grant 'em that! I wonder if he busted the wood and patched it, or if he put a pickguard or something on the lower part? that wasn't original from the looks of their Eddie page -- nor the "Clarence" sticker!

gimpy_boy89

These guys are kinda cool too, although they're a little pricey: http://www.earnestinstruments.com/ukuleles.html

rockpants

acutejam wrote:

Ah, too funny rPants! Was just loggin in to posts Eddie's uke from that luthier -- they already have the Bridge Sleepless Nights with Beck YouTube up on their page.

I dunno why, their distinctive headstock pattern turns me off -- but I instantly knew whose it was when Eddie whipped it out at Bridge, grant 'em that! I wonder if he busted the wood and patched it, or if he put a pickguard or something on the lower part? that wasn't original from the looks of their Eddie page -- nor the "Clarence" sticker!

I thought it was kinda weird at first, too, but it's really grown on me - when you see it in person and get a good look at the grain it's easy to love. Ed's customized his with a pickguard and then, of course, added the Clarence tribute; from what I could tell on the Bridge School webcast, the bottom maple piece on the headplate looks coloured in! I could see what looked like felt lines. Not sure what Ed was thinking there ... I've a feeling he tried to add something aesthetic there and fucked it up, so he had to hide his shame. On the other hand, maybe he just wanted 3 dark bits and 1 light? There's a thread asking what you'd say if you had a 10 minute spot with Eddie ... I'd probably make him explain what the hell he did to the headplate!

rockpants

acutejam wrote:

Ah, too funny rPants! Was just loggin in to posts Eddie's uke from that luthier -- they already have the Bridge Sleepless Nights with Beck YouTube up on their page.

I dunno why, their distinctive headstock pattern turns me off -- but I instantly knew whose it was when Eddie whipped it out at Bridge, grant 'em that! I wonder if he busted the wood and patched it, or if he put a pickguard or something on the lower part? that wasn't original from the looks of their Eddie page -- nor the "Clarence" sticker!

Many months later, and I have the answer - it's ALL Sharpie. Ed's a scribbler.

STAYSEA

ukes and acoustic were so last year! this year it's banjo! I promise

acutejam

I dunno --- that thar banjo be one tricky thang to make sing!

That, and I'm headed to Hawaii this year, so I've been writing for Uke factory tours and visiting some of the smaller luthiers who hand make 'em in the islands. All in all, I think I'm headed for a Ko'Aloha tenor -- Eddie's got one of those too! Sheesh -- the picture of him in front of the canoe, he's holding a KoAloha.

acutejam

During the unplugged section with Glen last night in Houston he whipped out ANOTHER uke I'd never seen.

Ah, behold the Quilted Cherry Tenor Resonator:

http://www.myamoeukuleles.com/artistDetails.php?id=81

(And here all along I thought Glen was just borrowing one of Ed's uke's. Nope! He's got his own Mya-Moe!)

acutejam

I don't know why I never saw these before, was renewing my subscription and stumbled upon -- GREAT SHOTS OF EDDIE'S GEAR! Leading off with his Mya-Moe -- definitely sharpie treatment!

http://www.fretboardjournal.com/photos/ ... o-outtakes

I should probably cross post to the Eddie's gear thread, huh? Never seen that acoustic Gibson!

rockpants

acutejam wrote:

I don't know why I never saw these before, was renewing my subscription and stumbled upon -- GREAT SHOTS OF EDDIE'S GEAR! Leading off with his Mya-Moe -- definitely sharpie treatment!

http://www.fretboardjournal.com/photos/ ... o-outtakes

I should probably cross post to the Eddie's gear thread, huh? Never seen that acoustic Gibson!

Cool stuff. I like his sycamore tradition. Wonder how many more he'll get from Mya-Moe? Hansard's been playing a Mya-Moe for quite awhile now. His first is number 471 but it was completed after Ed's 535 ... maybe he ordered it earlier and just didn't need it right away or something. Or components-related. Whatevers. :P

I've developed UAS ... just ordered two. A Kala slimline travel soprano (spruce top, laminated mahogany back/sides) and an all-bamboo Veelah soprano which I'll have tuned to low GCEA. The Veelah normally goes for $258 CAD but Empire Music has a few for $88, which is ridiculous and awesome.
http://www.empire-music.com/Catalogue.p ... =VAMBOO-SC (US Catalogue page.)

-Emma-

I haven't got a custom made uke, but I recommend joining the ukulele underground forum. I'm sure you'd find plenty of info on there.

acutejam wrote:

I dunno --- that thar banjo be one tricky thang to make sing!

That, and I'm headed to Hawaii this year, so I've been writing for Uke factory tours and visiting some of the smaller luthiers who hand make 'em in the islands. All in all, I think I'm headed for a Ko'Aloha tenor -- Eddie's got one of those too! Sheesh -- the picture of him in front of the canoe, he's holding a KoAloha.

That was a Kamaka HF-3, not a Ko'Aloha ...that ukulele was auctioned off:
http://unofficialkamakaukulele.wordpres ... maka-hf-3/

If you're visiting Hawaii, you could check out Hawaii Music Supply (http://www.theukulelesite.com/). I bought two of my ukuleles from their online store and they were great to deal with. I bought my first uke, a Fender Nohea Koa Tenor from them and I recently bought a Kamaka HF-2 concert from them.

This is my Kamaka HF-2 (factory upgraded with Gotoh planetary tuners):
http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i320/fainty_girl/Kamaka_zps5142fb37.jpg

I'd love to own a Mya-Moe ukulele, but I'm too impatient to wait for one to be built and they are a bit out of my price range.

amethgr8

yes, there are a lot of sites on the ukulele makers. my brother bought me a lani kai for Christmas after I got the uke album and songbook and said how I would play one if I had one cause I got all the music from ed's album.

I found what I consider the 3 easiest songs in the book. I dabble in piano, keyboard but never made it past the adult book. I can play 2 pages of Jeremy on the piano. so I'm motivated to play a song but not nec to go thru the "lessons". songs are you're true, satellite and longing to belong. I play the heck out of them and I love it. I play it almost every night. I'm am now moving to finger picking. I've had it about 1.5 yrs. I've tried different strings. very different all of them. the martin strings sounded good for a while. I tried some higher end koolau. none of them sounded very good at all until I got the gold ones on there. they have been great.

my bro moved to Hawaii a year ago, plays guitar but didn't take one. he ended up buying a pono out there. I would like another, higher end, different wood different sounding uke but then you have the whole worry of hurting it. it's true, it's extremely convenient to play anywhere and $100 is fun and no worry of wrecking it. we only have 1 music store around here and they really don't carry much in the higher end. I would love to have a Hawaiian made. but more love to play some different sounding ones to make a true assessment.

amy

USMC_Sgt

I've got a solid mahogany kala concert that my wife bought me as a birthday present a couple of years ago. It has been a really great starter Uke...nothing fancy but certainly good for me as a beginner Ukulele player (wife bought it to feed my Pearl Jam/Eddie Vedder obsession but I had never played a string instrument in my life..or really any instrument. The kala sat in a stand on my home desk for a year before I found a local guitar studio that had an instructor who did ukulele lessons. i've only been playing since January but I'm really enjoying it).

when i decided i wanted to get a new uke, i did a lot of research. when i started, i thought for sure i'd go with a Kamaka. but after doing research on a few dozen major companies, and quite a few smaller Luthiers, i decided to go with a custom build. figured if i was spending that kind of money, i might as well get something that was made just for me and by my specifications.

the result of my decision: I just placed an order for a Mya Moe custom build. I'm pretty excited, although that excitement is tempered by the year wait... ...they won't start my build until June of 2014.

i'll still probably get a Kamaka one day...i still want a hawaiian built uke, made out of koa wood, and i really like the Kamaka story. but that one will have to wait a few more years.

acutejam

Ah, Emma your right on that one, I wanted it to be a Ko'aloha cause I had my eyes set on one.... And yep scored it at that store on Hawaii up north, Hawaiian Music Supply! Jack Johnson was in the shop the day before I got there! He signs his songbooks... Nice guys, worked on my Martin Soprano's frets while I ate tacos next door. Had written them earlier and they had a few Ko'alohas fresh from the shop waiting for me, tried em out and took a concert home. Well, got some shaved ice then headed home! Was a special big fam reunion trip, prolly last one with age of grandparents and what not, so the Ko'aloha has a special vibe for me. I get home and am really checking it over, deep inside up on the neck block, month and year the uke was made stamped into the wood, the month I was there, perfect!

Can I stop now with one of each size? Kala tenor, Martin soprano, and now the Ko'aloha concert!

Nah, my kids won't need college! I still want one just built for me! There's a guy back east, Digging sticks uke, that I've written a few times, but I think he is slowing down. Another dude down in San Diego is making some cool custom hand builds, I follow him on twitter. But yep, prolly go with the mya next year....

Ok, so season opener of Duck Dynasty? wedding? That dude was playing my Kala! Lol! It's a solid layabout instrument, very easy to play, but the sound of the lil Martin and the Koa concert is really on a different level. Love wailing on the lil soprano!